National Wilderness Month, 2024

( printed page 72293) Proclamation 10801 of August 30, 2024 National Wilderness Month, 2024 A Proclamation America's beautiful natural landscapes are part of our Nation's identity, history, and heritage. One century ago, the Gila Wilderness was established as our country's first designated wilderness area, protecting this national treasure and beginning a new era of Federal conservation. Across our Nation, designated wilderness areas protect some of our most precious sites—soaring mountains, winding rivers, expansive deserts, and lush forests. These special places unite us, inspire us, and connect us to something bigger than ourselves. During National Wilderness Month, we recommit to the essential work of protecting our Earth, celebrate our country's natural places, and continue our work to ensure that every community has access to nature's gifts. By conserving our wilderness, we not only protect key pieces of our Nation's history—we also protect the livelihoods of people who depend on our lands and waters. We protect and preserve Tribal communities' sacred landscapes. We sustain wildlife and conserve landscapes to help fight climate change and improve our Nation's resilience. And we ensure that generations of Americans will be able to enjoy the beauty and power of our country's wilderness today and into the future. That is why my Administration set the most ambitious conservation goal ever—committing to conserve at least 30 percent of all our Nation's lands and waters by 2030. That goal is at the heart of my “America the Beautiful” initiative to support locally led, voluntary conservation and restoration efforts across the country. To that end, my Administration has made historic investments to protect our shared natural heritage, such as investing $1.4 billion in ecosystem restoration and resilience through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. To date, my Administration has conserved more than 41 million acres of our Nation's lands and …